Lecture 8: Interdependence Part 1 Flashcards

1
Q

interdependence

A
  • Exists when we need others and they need us to obtain valuable rewards
  • Behaviours of each partner affect the outcomes of the other
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2
Q

interdependence theory

A
  • Explains how partners in a relationship influence each other’s experiences and outcomes
  • Derived from social exchange theory
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3
Q

social exchange theory

A
  • Relationship partners are rational actors engaged in cost-benefit analyses
  • Relationships begin when you give me some of what I want and I give you some of what you want
  • We are driven to maximize rewards & minimize costs
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4
Q

social exchange

A

the process in which two people give and take desirable rewards from each other

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5
Q

outcomes formula

A

outcome = rewards - costs

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6
Q

interpreting outcomes

A
  • If rewards > costs, net positive outcome
  • If rewards < costs, net negative outcome
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7
Q

rewards

A
  • Any of the ways a relationship may satisfy our needs & desires, something that is gratifying & pleasant
  • Can be tangible or intangible
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8
Q

costs

A
  • Any of the ways a relationship may prevent us from meeting our needs & desires, something that is punishing/frustrating
  • Can be tangible or intangible
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9
Q

opportunity cost

A

the cost of not pursuing a possible reward

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10
Q

do all relationships have costs?

A

yes

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11
Q

interdependence theory

A
  • The same outcome may not necessarily lead to the same amount of satisfaction for different people
  • When it comes to satisfaction, we evaluate the outcomes we receive relative to what we expect from our relationships
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12
Q

comparison level (CL)

A

personal standard; what we feel we deserve

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13
Q

satisfaction formula

A

Satisfaction = outcomes - CL

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14
Q

interpreting satisfaction

A
  • If our satisfaction is positive, then we’re happy
  • If our satisfaction is negative, then we’re unhappy
  • We can be dissatisfied even if the relationship is highly rewarding and satisfied if the relationship is costly
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15
Q

sacrifice

A

giving up one’s own immediate preferences/ goals for the good of the partner or the relationship

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16
Q

impact of sacrifice on the relationship

A
  • Perceiving that a partner has sacrificed can lead to increased appreciation with potentially positive consequences for the relationship
  • But, it may depend on experiences around sacrifice
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17
Q

interdependence theory daily diary study

A

perceiving a partner’s sacrifice led to an increase in partner appreciation and relationship satisfaction only if the recipient’s expectations were low (positive expectancy violation)

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18
Q

interdependence theory daily diary study takeaway

A

even if a relationship is profitable and rewarding, you may not be satisfied if the profit isn’t big enough to meet your expectations

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19
Q

determining CL

A

everyone has their own CL

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20
Q

CL is influenced by

A
  • Previous relationship experiences (how others have treated us in the past)
  • Observing others’ relationships (personal experience or the media)
  • Personality dispositions (attachment orientation, self-esteem)
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21
Q

what makes people stay together?

A
  • Partners’ satisfaction with the relationship is a fairly small predictor of staying together over time
  • There are also other factors involved in the decision
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22
Q

dependence

A

how free a person feels to leave the relationship (how strongly tied a person is to another)

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23
Q

determining dependence

A

A function of how our outcomes in a given relationship compared to possible alternative outcomes (how well you think you could do elsewhere)

24
Q

dependence formula

A

Dependence = outcomes- CL alt

25
Q

interpreting dependence

A
  • If dependence is positive, then stable
  • If dependence is negative, then unstable
26
Q

comparison level for alternatives

A
  • What we realistically expect we could get in another relationship or situation/ other alternatives currently available
  • Includes other partners or being single
  • The standard against which we decide whether to stay or leave
  • The lowest level you will tolerate from your partners
  • If you think we can do better in another relationship, we’re likely to leave our present partners and pursue bigger payoffs, even when we’re currently happy with what we’ve got
  • If we’re currently unhappy in a relationship, we won’t leave it unless a better alternative presents itself
27
Q

factors affecting CL alt

A
  • Individual differences
  • Cultural and structural factors
  • Opportunity to encounter alternatives
  • Motivated reasoning
28
Q

barriers

A

all of the forces outside of the relationship that act to keep partners together

29
Q

investments

A

resources tied to the relationship that would be lost if the relationship were to end

30
Q

impact of barriers and investments on the relationship

A
  • Both reduce the attractiveness of leaving a current relationship
    (i.e. factored into our CL alts)
  • Our CL alts include both rewards & costs of leaving a relationship
31
Q

4 relationship types

A
  • happy and stable
  • unhappy and unstable
  • unhappy and stable
  • happy and unstable
32
Q

happy and stable relationship

A
  • outcomes exceed both CL and CL alt
  • It doesn’t matter if CL or CL alt is higher
33
Q

unhappy and unstable relationship

A

outcomes are below both CL and CL alt

34
Q

unhappy and stable relationship

A

outcomes are below CL but above CL alt

35
Q

happy and unstable relationship

A

outcomes are below CL alt, but above CL

36
Q

rewards and costs

A
  • Research suggests that the valuation of rewards & costs is more complicated
  • Costs may be particularly influential because they carry more psychological weight
  • We pay more attention to costs and remember costs more than rewards
  • Roughly 5x greater influence
37
Q

gottman’s research

A
  • Brought couples into the lab and asked them to discuss a sore spot in their relationship
  • They coded this interaction for various types of negative and positive behaviours
  • They found that high-risk couples for divorce engaged in more negative behaviours than positive behaviours
  • The opposite was found for low-risk couples
38
Q

sacrifice detection

A

A reward has to be noticed to enter into our calculations
We may not notice all of the kind things our partners do for us

39
Q

Daily diary study of sacrifices method

A

data collected from both members of the couple allows researchers to compare the partner data and see how often sacrifices are detected vs. missed

40
Q

hit

A

the perceiver correctly detects that a sacrifice was made

41
Q

miss

A

the perceived does not detect that a sacrifice was made when it was

42
Q

false alarm

A

the perceiver perceives a sacrifice when there is one

43
Q

correct rejection

A

a sacrifice does not occur and is not perceived

44
Q

Daily diary study of sacrifices findings

A
  • Thinking that the partner has made a sacrifice (rightly or wrongly) boosts gratitude
  • But individuals miss their partners’ sacrifices about 50% of the time
  • Missed sacrifices leave sacrificing partners feeling underappreciated & dissatisfied
45
Q

individual differences in approach vs. avoidance motivations

A
  • Chronic strength of approach & avoidance motivations differs between individuals
  • This has implications for processing social information
46
Q

implications of avoidance motivation

A
  • Biases attention toward negative stimuli
  • Enhances memory for negative stimuli
  • Increases negative construals of ambiguous/neutral events
47
Q

implications of approach motivation

A
  • Biases attention toward positive stimuli
  • Enhances memory for positive stimuli
  • Increases positive construals of ambiguous/neutral events
48
Q

approach motivations and sacrifice

A
  • Make your partner happy, grow intimacy in the relationship
  • This led to more positive affect, greater relationship & life satisfaction, less conflict, and less chance of breaking up 1 month later
  • Perceiving one’s partner as sacrificing for approach reasons was associated with more positive affect, life & relationship satisfaction
49
Q

avoidance motivations and sacrifice

A
  • Avoid disappointment or conflict
  • This led to more negative affect, less relationship & life satisfaction, and more conflict
  • Perceiving one’s partner as sacrificing for avoidance reasons associated with less positive affect, life & relationship satisfaction
50
Q

approach motivation

A

gain positive outcomes

51
Q

avoidance motivation

A

avoid negative outcomes

52
Q

flourishing relationships

A

approach and avoidance goals are fulfilled

53
Q

precarious relationships

A

approach goals are fulfilled but avoidance goals are not

54
Q

distressed relationships

A

approach and avoidance goals are not fulfilled

55
Q

boring relationships

A

approach goals are not fulfilled, but avoidance goals are